The ModGolf Podcast - Episodes Tagged with “Design Thinking”

A Non-Golfer's Strategy for PGA Tour Digital Innovation - with guest Devon Fox

The ModGolf Podcast — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 18:45:00 -0800

What does a non-golfer who loves Radiohead and once worked in a nightclub bring to the PGA Tour? A fresh perspective that drives groundbreaking innovation. In this long-awaited conversation, host Colin Weston sits down with Devon Fox, the Senior Director of Digital Programs at the PGA Tour. After eight years of connecting on LinkedIn, they finally dive into Devon’s unique journey from NASCAR and Nike to leading digital innovation in golf.

Devon shares how her initial (and only) disastrous golf experience became a strategic advantage, allowing her to ask the questions no one else would. She pulls back the curtain on building the PGA Tour's first Fan Council, the decade-long process that led to the stunning Apple Vision Pro app, and how she intentionally "worked herself out of a job" to bake innovation into the Tour's DNA.

Beyond technology, Devon opens up about the deeply personal motivation behind founding the PGA Tour's LGBTQ+ employee resource group, PRISM, and her advocacy for meaningful, policy-driven inclusion. This is a story about challenging tradition, the power of process, and building a future for golf that engages every fan.

Key takeaways in this episode with Devon that you will discover:

"Golf Ignorance" as an Innovation Superpower:
Devon explains how not being a golfer allowed her to challenge sacred traditions and ask fundamental questions that insiders might overlook, leading to truly fresh thinking in digital fan engagement.

Innovation is a Process, Not a Department:
Learn how Devon moved the PGA Tour from having a small innovation team to baking innovative thinking into the product development process itself, ensuring it becomes a sustainable part of the culture.

Inclusion Starts with Internal Policy, Not External Marketing:
Devon shares her impactful, criteria-driven approach to LGBTQ+ advocacy to create PRISM within the PGA Tour workplace, focusing first on tangible employee benefits and education before any public-facing campaigns, creating lasting structural change.

Episode Chapters:
00:00 - 02:10: Introduction and a Connection Eight Years in the Making
02:10 - 04:20: Devon's First (and Only) Golf Experience: A Hot, Hungry Disaster
04:20 - 07:20: The Strategic Advantage of Being a Non-Golfer & Asking "Weird" Questions
07:20 - 11:20: Building the Fan Council & Sourcing Ideas Directly from Fans
11:20 - 13:30: Learning from the NBA and the Two Rules of Sports Tech Innovation
13:30 - 16:30: Bridging Generations: Using New Tech to Showcase Golf History
16:30 - 19:15: The Innovation Process: From Design Thinking to Working Herself Out of a Job
19:15 - 23:35: Career Journey: From Soul-Sucking Banking to NASCAR and Global Retail at Nike
23:35 - 30:40: Advocacy in Action: Founding PRISM & Driving LGBTQ+ Inclusion from the Inside Out
30:40 - 33:00: The Size and Scope of the PGA Tour Organization
33:00 - 37:00: A Decade-Long Win: The Journey to the Apple Vision Pro App
37:00 - 38:15: Fostering a Culture of Ideas: The Annual Hackathon
38:15 - END: Closing & Teaser for the YouTube Candy Taste Test

Quotable Moments from Devon:

On bringing an outside perspective:
"I really held on to this lack of golf experience and knowledge to give me permission to ask those weird questions that nobody else would ask. It really benefited me."

On the purpose of technology:
"You don't just do innovation and emerging technology for the sake of doing it. It has to have some value for the fan. You have to dig deep and find out what that is."

On the long game of innovation:
"One win I'm really proud of is the work that led up to the Apple Vision Pro app. It's this progression of 'let's see what we require to create it and let's go get after that, then build it in and operationalize that.'"

Want to see Devon's reaction to tasting Thrills, a truly bizarre Canadian "soap-flavoured" gum from the 1970s while trying to carry on a conversation with Colin? Then check out our exclusive and fun bonus segment on The ModGolf YouTube channel. Click on this link or the image below to watch.

Devon Fox's bio page >> https://modgolf.fireside.fm/guests/devon-fox
Beyond technology, Devon is a passionate advocate for meaningful inclusion within the sports industry. Driven by a personal commitment to creating safer, more supportive workplaces, she founded and leads PRISM, the PGA Tour’s LGBTQ+ employee resource group. Under her leadership, the group has driven substantive policy changes, including the expansion of benefits and resources, demonstrating her belief that true progress is built on internal structural change. Through her dual focus on operational excellence and human-centric culture, Devon Fox plays a pivotal role in shaping both the digital future and the inclusive ethos of the PGA Tour.

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As the creator and host of The ModGolf Podcast and YouTube channel I've been telling golf entrepreneurship and innovation stories since May 2017 and I love the community of ModGolfers that we are building.

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I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin

We want to thank Golf Genius Software who have supported The ModGolf Podcast since 2019!
Are you a golf course owner, manager or operator looking to increase both your profit margins and on-course experience?

Golf Genius powers tournament management at over 10,000 private clubs, public courses, resorts, golf associations, and tours in over 60 countries. So if you’re a golf professional or course operator who wants to save time, deliver exceptional golfer experiences, and generate more revenue, check them out online at golfgenius.com.

Special Guest: Devon Fox - Senior Director of Digital Programs at the PGA Tour.

Revealing The Process and Inspiration Behind Designing TGL Golf Holes - with Agustín Pizá / Pizá Golf

The ModGolf Podcast — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 06:30:00 -0700

When our host Colin Weston attended a TGL match (Tiger's Jupiter Links vs Rory's Boston Common) he quickly learned that several of the compelling holes played out on a 60' high simulator video screen and 360º rotating, undulating green are designed by previous guest Agustin Pizá, who is the creative force behind Pizá Golf Design.

First appearing on The ModGolf Podcast back in November 2021, Augie rejoins us to pull back the curtain on his design inspiration as he walks us through six of the fun and challenging holes he and his Pizá Golf team created for TGL.

Are you a watcher more than a listener? Then you can watch our video with Augie on The ModGolf YouTube channel as he walks us through his inspiration and process on six TGL hole designs. Click on this link or the image below as Colin and Augie discuss how their mutual backgrounds in architectural design influence their creativity in the golf space.

Here are images of all six holes that Augie shares with us for you to take in while listening to the podcast:

The Plank Teams will need to walk “The Plank” as they navigate this uphill hole with tricky diagonal bunkering. For this short 380-yard par 4, it could be tempting for teams to go for the driver, but 3 pot bunkers narrow the landing area adding risk to the aggressive play.

Agustín says: "For The Plank, we wanted to design something simple but also something that required you to think through your shots. To achieve this, we positioned the bunkers to create several dynamic diagonal lines across the hole."

"When you stand on the tee box, that positioning gives you the sensation of, ‘Oh, it’s full of bunkers, there’s nowhere to land my ball!’ But obviously that’s not the case, you have several landing areas and platforms to access. The Plank is designed to be a drivable par-4, depending on the wind, but the strategy will change if it’s a crosswind versus wind at the players’ backs. If less than a driver is chosen off the tee, a well-placed tee shot still leaves a short approach and great chance at birdie."

Pick Yer Plunder Set in Bounty Bay, this hole is the ultimate match play par 5. From the gold tee, players are faced with three options. The riskiest, and by far most rewarding choice, is going straight over the guardian bunker to a 27-yard-wide fairway, requiring a 300-yard carry.

Choosing the right option, the fairway is just 37-yards-wide and requires a 285-yard carry. With a solid drive, players will be left with less than 250 yards remaining. The safest play is to the left, where the fairway is 70 yards wide. But the further left you miss it, the more blind and long your second shot will be.

Agustín says: "A 590 yard par 5. The hole idea is you can take that middle section and you will be rewarded. You will only have a 200 yard shot to the GreenZone to get on in two. The alternative is to play the right arm or the left arm. You will have to play the second shot on a high cliff or a low cliff. This hole not only plays with your psyche on ways of playing it, but also where you land could create some blind shots and some other challenges that you probably were not expecting."

On The Rocks This stunning downhill par 3 hangs off the edge of a cliff in the North Sea of Scotland. The green sits on a 41-yard-wide island that replicates the exact same-sized turntable in TGL's GreenZone at SoFi Center. Players will be tempted to be aggressive, most will likely have a short iron in hand, but any slight misjudgment and a team may quickly find themselves On The Rocks.

Agustín says: "This is one of the last designs that we created, it's a par 3 that sits right on the cliffs. What we did very special here, is we took the GreenZone and just erased everything, all the surroundings, and kept the turntable. We have five distinct tee boxes. The first two tees are right in the center and they are somwhere between 100 yards and 130 yards. On the sides, the tee boxes spread out to ask for a fade or for a draw. If you go towards the furthest one out, it'll ask for a draw and it's 180 yards out."

Sidewinder A high trajectory right-to-left tee shot will reward teams with Position A on this reachable Par 5, while bunkers dot the approach to the green, which sits beyond a small ravine. While the design is similar to Serpent, the penalty areas have been minimized with the intention for Sidewinder to have a bit less bite.

Agustín says: "You can take the conservative route on the right and if you hit over 290 to 310 yards you will get that speed slope onto position A. If you try to clear the left side and be more aggressive you will get rewarded even more. If you cannot get home in two then you will have to find a very good strategy to attack the GreenZone. You have to choose whether you want to lay your ball on the left or the right and that will be dictated by where the flag is played."

The Spear A close relative of Temple, teams will face a simple risk vs. reward choice when teeing off on The Spear. The design places a pinch point right around the PGA TOUR average carry and gives players a choice to either hit a long and straight tee shot past the pinch point, or lay up short and play to the green in three.

Teams that hit the ball short of the pinch will have plenty of room to lay up as they progress towards the green. Players that are able to execute the risky drive and land safely are then rewarded with a green light to go for the floating GreenZone in two.

Agustín says: "The Spear is a full par 5. Architecture at the end is about playing with form and we started to create this hole by playing with triangles and we came up with The Spear. It pinches away on the fairway at approximately 300 yards, give or take. That's where it's going to make players think, with a crosswind likely a key factor in play, too. The strategy is right there in your face. It's a heroic hole. Do you want to lay up to guarantee a three shot hole or do you want to try to clear it and take that risk as it opens up in a very generous way? You'll have a very good chance of getting home in two if you clear the pinch successfully."

Temple is a hole design inspired by ancient civilizations and based on simplicity, the art form of two triangles facing each other to create a unique risk vs. reward with its hourglass shape. The choice off the tee is whether to carry the narrow intersection where the opposing triangles meet, or to lay up short and run the risk of a 240-yard or longer shot into the green. From the tee box, the fairway reaches its narrowest point at 285 yards before it widens again. The entire hole is surrounded by penalty areas and wind will be a factor within the virtual setting, complicating the decision for teams.

Agustín says: "Temple is a par 4 playing over 500 yards that we found in the mountains of South America. This is a very special design because it plays with simplicity. With just two forms - two triangles pinched in the center - it can give us so much excitement and strategy, and we have placed the green in a position to reward the most aggressive shots off the tee."

Want to connect with Augie? Visit his bio page for contact information. And visit The TGL website to learn more about all 29 holes designs that were available for the 2025 TGL season.

Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear!

Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf

I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin

We want to thank our Episode Presenting Partner Golf Genius Software who have supported The ModGolf Podcast since 2019!
Are you a golf course owner, manager or operator looking to increase both your profit margins and on-course experience?

Golf Genius powers tournament management at over 10,000 private clubs, public courses, resorts, golf associations, and tours in over 60 countries. So if you’re a golf professional or course operator who wants to save time, deliver exceptional golfer experiences, and generate more revenue, check them out online at golfgenius.com.

Special Guest: Agustín Pizá - Founder and Architect with Pizá Golf Design.

The Journey of Dormie Workshop: Telling Unique Golf Stories Through Custom Leather Cover Designs

The ModGolf Podcast — Sun, 12 Jan 2025 15:15:00 -0800

Here are three key takeaways you will discover from Colin's conversation with Todd:

1. The Journey of Dormie Workshop: Todd Bishop shared the inspiring backstory of Dormie Workshop, which began as a passion project between him and his brother Jeff. Their journey from ski and surf bums to successful entrepreneurs highlights the importance of community, creativity, and perseverance. They started by creating unique golf ball markers and eventually transitioned to crafting high-quality leather golf head covers, driven by a desire to offer something better than what was available in the market.

2. Customization and Innovation: A significant aspect of Dormie Workshop's success lies in their commitment to customization and innovative design. Todd discussed how they leverage technology, such as laser etching, to create personalized products that resonate with customers. Their ability to combine different materials and techniques has allowed them to stand out in a crowded market, catering to both individual golfers and professional athletes.

3. Future Expansion and Collaborations: Looking ahead, Dormie Workshop is expanding its operations, including a new facility in Los Angeles to tap into the larger U.S. market. Todd emphasized the importance of partnerships and collaborations, such as their work with the clothing brand Extracurricular, to enhance their offerings and reach. The upcoming PGA Show will serve as a platform for them to unveil new deals and showcase their innovative products, further solidifying their position in the golf industry.

These insights not only reflect the entrepreneurial spirit of Dormie Workshop but also highlight the evolving landscape of the golf industry, where creativity and customer engagement play crucial roles.

BONUS: we'll be running another #modgolfgiveaway contest as we're giving TWO of our lucky Patreon members a custom ModGolf leather driver headcover designed by Dormie Workshop! Sign up to our ModGolf Patreon community as a monthly member and you'll be entered for a chance to win some awesome golf gear... and a unique ModGolf headcover!
Join us at - www.patreon.com/ModGolf

If you enjoyed this podcast episode, you can watch our video with Todd on The ModGolf YouTube channel. Click on this link or the image below to see some of Dormie Workshop's unique cover creations.

Want to connect with Todd? Visit his bio page for contact information. Would you like a custom designed leather headcover that tells your story? Go to the Dormie Workshop website to fill out their intake form. You can also find all of their cover collections to elevate your golf experience.

Join our mission to make golf more innovative, inclusive and fun... and WIN some awesome golf gear!

Click to join >> https://patreon.com/Modgolf

I look forward to seeing you during an upcoming live show!... Colin

Harnessing The Power of Design to Reinvent Golf Experiences - Agustín Pizá, Founder and Architect at Pizá Golf Design

The ModGolf Podcast — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 11:30:00 -0800

For more than two decades, Agustin (Augie) Pizá, the Director and Founder of Pizá Golf, has challenged golf norms and redefined golf facilities with award-winning designs. He has worked with legends of the game and his world class developments attracted interest to design a total indoor golf entertainment experience.

Click on the image below to check out our extended conversation with Augie on our Youtube Channel!

Want to learn more about Pizá Golf Design? Visit their website to see how they are passionately generating successful and profitable golf architecture projects.

You can learn more about Agustín on his bio page.

Show Notes and Augie Quotes
"Eventually when I graduated from architecture, I said "why can't I mix in golf?" So every afternoon I went to practice golf and then I got it. Now I understood the nature of it and the patience of it. I got the 360° of the golf course - the trees, the atmosphere, the freshly cut grass. I started to feel it and that was my sign to fuse my two passions: architecture and sports through golf architecture. And since then, I haven't looked back."

Special Guest: Agustín Pizá - Founder and Architect with Pizá Golf Design.